RSS2.0

GuestsOnline

Romania's bus network is not that properly coordinated and is really only useful if you're planning to visit some local village not served by train. In the countryside, on Sundays, there may be no local buses at all.

An increasingly popular mode of road transport are minibuses, or maxitaxis. The advantage they have over trains is the frequency and speed with which they can get you to your chosen destination. That said, passengers are usually crammed aboard with scant regard for comfort, and there's usually very little luggage space avail-able. Prices are slightly more than trains - expect to pay around £2/€2.80 from Bucharest to Pitesti (100km), or £4/€5.60 from Bucharest to Sibiu (250km). Maxitaxis often begin and end their journeys from the local bus or train station. Main bus and maxitaxi routes are listed in the travel details section at the end of each chapter.

All towns have local bus services, and in the main cities you'll also find trams (tramvai) and trolley buses (troleibuz). Tickets are normally sold in pairs (around £0.15/€0.20) from street kiosks. Validate them yourself aboard the vehicle, but be prepared to fight your way to the machine through the crush.